


and then they were gone

by roboboops



Category: DragonFable
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, One Shot, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 03:28:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14946740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roboboops/pseuds/roboboops
Summary: What if the only way the hero could save the world was to sacrifice themselves? And how does Ash react to it?





	and then they were gone

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this a while back when someone requested for some ash/hero angst that ends with fluff. also, they requested the hero here is non-binary, so i used they/them pronouns to refer to them! also note i wrote this a looong time ago so forgive the cringe if you can? thanks guys.

It’s early sunrise, the hero is sitting down on a familiar spot at the edge of Falconreach: a sharp, steep ledge with grass and flowers waving by the wind along with the hero’s hair. They breathe in the fresh scent of the morning dew, taking in as much as possible while trying to shake off the fact that this is the last sunrise they will ever see. This beautiful place will also be the place they, in a short while, will be taken away forever. 

“Why are you here?”, a familiar voice asks them. The hero smiles, knowing they can never get used to Ash’s deep and raspy voice. In their heart, the hero knew Ash would always be the young soldier struggling to hold a sword, trailing along behind the hero on adventures and always, always, the one constantly having the fire in his eyes. They never thought they’d see him where he is right now. A young handsome man in a pale gray tunic and brown pants with a huge sword tucked in his belt. This is Ash. for the time being at least. 

“Couldn’t sleep.”, the hero answers, standing up. They stretch their back and look back at Ash, who has his arms crossed together. “Why are you-“

“I’m really angry with you,” the soldier blurts out. He looks down at the grass, too scared to see the hero’s face at this point, because he knew he would just break down and cry.

“I understand.”, they mumbled, scratching the back of their head. “I’ll admit, it’s the…weirdest…decision I’ve made. Sorry. ”

Despite it all, they smile, and Ash knew they were smiling. He didn’t even have to look up to see it, he could feel them smiling. He can’t bear to look at it right now because he know’s he’ll just miss it all the more when they’re gone. Ash breathes in, and looks at the hero. They look relieved and, of course, they are smiling. Like they’re not about to be sacrificed for the safety of the world. 

“It’s okay, Ash.” they sigh, Ash flinching at the sound of his name. “I knew this would come sooner or later. I guess I just didn’t think that the world’s fate would really depend on my choice. Sorry-”

“Don’t you have another choice?”, Ash growled, cutting them off. “You told me that there is no such thing as having no choices left. There’s always a choice! That’s what you taught me.” 

He was sure there were other ways to defeat Sepulchure once and for all. There has to be. There needs to be.

“Ash.”

“Don’t.”

He might be being a bit harsh now, but he didn’t care. His mentor, his friend, his light, his guide, his hero, is about to give their life for all of humanity. it was unfair, Ash thought. What must it be like to have the world and its fate on your shoulders?

“Listen,”, they start, stepping forward to Ash, who in turn, takes a few steps back, “I’m leaving the fate of Falconreach in your hands. I’m sure you know that, right?”

“Yes. I know.”

“Then please, forget about me and be stronger. You can do that can’t you? For me at least?”

What Ash thought was a favor was now a plead. He gazed at the Hero whose eyebrows have knit together and their voice was shaking. They were asking, no, they were begging him.

“Hero…”, he sighs. 

Suddenly, everything that he has ever remembered about the Hero came flooding back to his brain. Like that one time they invited him to go beat up some sneevils for the first time, when they brought him to the Honey Cave and left him there to fend for himself, when he tagged along to Ravenloss and immediately regretted it, when they came home beat and bruised from gathering The Orbs and the first thing they did when they returned was to greet him, when they carried him all the way back to Falconreach after he got severely injured during a fight with a dragon in Dragesvard, and just as the dragon was about to give the finishing blow the hero swept in out of nowhere and killed the beast with one swipe of their sword.

They’ve changed so much, he thought. He was tall enough to make them look up at him when they talked, and he could now cover for the Hero when they fought monsters somewhere. He could be the one to lead now. He could’ve showed them all the cool fighting tricks he taught himself, he could’ve told them embarrassing stories from when he stayed in the soldier barracks, he could’ve finally drank beer with them, a promise that the Hero made.

He could’ve been the one to carry them home when they got injured. 

All the things that could have and should have happened faded away in an instant as stray, silent tears fell from his eyes while standing in front of the hero at that familiar spot: a sharp, steep ledge with grass and flowers waving by the wind along with the hero’s hair. He breathes in the fresh scent of the morning dew, taking in as much as possible while trying to shake off the fact that this is the last sunrise he will ever see with the Hero, his hero, by his side. This beautiful place will also be the place they, in a short while, will be taken away forever.

“Ash?”, they ask with their voice troubled. Ash quickly wipes away his tears and this time, he is the one who smiles. He figured it came naturally out of someone else’s habit. 

“I’m fine. Sorry for snapping at you.”, he replies, sniffling. He walks towards them and he doesn’t know why. His legs just started moving on their own. “I’m just really going to miss you.”

“Ha, I’ll miss you too.”

“I-“

All of a sudden, he’s cut off by the warm embrace of the Hero with their hands gripping his back. They grip tighter and Ash quietly winces, but he shook off the pain. He slowly finds his hands on the Hero’s back and he pulls them closer to him. There was no more space between their bodies, and they both tried to ignore the slight pain since after all this is the very last hug they’d ever share. They don’t even remember if they had hugged before. Ash cries again, sniffling and making ugly noises, but nevertheless the Hero giggles and strokes his back. He wipes his eyes on their hair and they didn’t mind, so he hugs them a bit tighter.

The Hero tiptoes and whispers those three words onto Ash’s ear, along with a light, playful peck on his cheek. They stroke his nape and, as Ash sobs all the more, he whispers the three words back to them and bends down to kiss their neck. Finally, after what felt like hours of hugging, they let go of each other, something they both regret the moment they did. They both stare at each other for a bit, realizing they wished that they had held each other a bit longer and a bit tighter. Neither of them knew this was how it would end but…now they were slightly comforted. Ash sighs, smiling, and salutes as the Hero salutes back. 

“Sorry we never got that beer.”, the Hero says, with their ever so memorable smile. 

And just as they came, they were gone.


End file.
